See Me Now
by kathrynwerewolves14
Summary: Calla Woods, cousin to the Fell's, originally came to Mystic Falls for a change of scenery but found herself a close friend/growing love in Damon Salvatore. One tragic day, she discovers that he had been shot and killed, leaving nothing worth staying for in Mystic Falls. Before she can leave, a bloody wrist is forced into her mouth followed by an echoing crack.
1. Prologue

**_Hello everyone and welcome to my new story! I've been reading lots of TVD stories and it got me in the mindset to write one so here it is! Don't worry, I'm not replacing my Teen Wolf story with this one, I'll be writing both so when I get stuck with one I can focus on the other :) _**

**_Thank you so much to the lovely shirosagi for helping me figure out a title to this story! :)_**

**_Without further ado, here is the prologue to See Me Now._**

* * *

_Time is a fickle thing. You would think it would stay consistent during someone's life but it turns out to be the greatest surprise of all. It ebbs and flows like a river, where you need to hold on to something with all your might or risk being swept under. Although it seems like the hardest ride you could face, it is also the wildest but in a good way. In a way, I feel like my life was too short, ending before I reached the age of nineteen but as I look at it now, I have lived for so long and yet still have so much to discover and so much longer to live. _

_The idea of living for eternity is not a possibility yet here I am, close to one hundred and fifty years later, still the young age of eighteen. To put it simply, I was murdered but here I am, still writing down my adventures and tales, hoping that maybe the one person I miss the most is looking down from beyond and seeing that I'm still living for them, doing things he had only dreamed of doing. I have travelled the world, immersing myself in different cultures, arts, and languages. I'm fluent in seven different languages and have taught myself how to play six different instruments and to sing. I've dined with kings and queens, seen empires rise and fall and a world at war twice. I went day-to-day, month-to-month; year-to-year with no real place to call home where my non-aging could go unnoticed. _

_The point of this is not to brag about my accomplishments or to complain of the horrors I've seen but to keep a record of everything, so if some day in my eternal life, I forget what I've done, I can look back to this journal. It is the only way to keep the memory of my closest friend, the man I was falling in love with, alive. I always smile when I think of him._

_How can I even begin to describe him? He was very handsome: the most handsome man I had ever met, the kindest too. He was free-spirited but held a sense of duty, whether it was towards our country or to his younger brother who he greatly loved. I cared deeply for the boy as well, only being a year older than him. He was tall and toned; his soft, slightly curled hair was as dark as the wing of a crow but made his strikingly intense blue eyes stand out, captivating anyone who stared long enough. If he were still around today, he would be the eternal stud. _

_I guess that's what appealed to __her__ when she arrived to town. What a despicable woman, playing with the affections of the two brothers. The dislike I had for her then has only increased after all of these years. He would always share the stories of their time together and confess his love for her. Most importantly, he shared her secret; she was an impossible creature, a vampire. Suddenly things around our quaint town seemed to make more sense. The secret meetings between members of the founding families, my Aunt and Uncle wanting me to constantly carry a piece of vervain with me, the bodies found dead from supposed animal attacks. This she-devil is the reason my life ended but is still continuing today. I suppose to understand the intense loathing I hold for this horrid woman, I should document the events of what happened that night in 1864, where I lost my best friend and the boy who I cared for as if he was my own brother, where my own life was ended in the simple flick of a wrist._

_I had been seated on the front porch of my Uncle's house, enjoying the night sky. I had come to town several years earlier due to the sudden death of my father to a sickness that had infested our small town. My mother thought it would be a good idea to get away from the thought of death and spend time with my Aunt and Uncle Fell in Mystic Falls. Suddenly a large group of men ran by screaming about ridding the town a plague. One of the men shouted that they were needed at the Salvatore house, immediately catching my attention. Hauling my large skirt up to allow me to run, I ran behind the crowd of men in attempt to find out what was happening. Ducking behind a nearby tree, I saw them throwing a woman into a caged wagon. The men had discovered that Katherine Pierce was indeed a vampire and were eradicating the problem. The Salvatore brothers both watched in horror as the woman they both loved was taken away but they never knew I was there watching her capture unfold. The younger brother, Stefan, begged for his older brother's, Damon, my closest friend, help at rescuing her. _

_I couldn't stop them before the worst happened. What happened next still haunts my dreams. The brothers had located the cage Katherine was held in but no rescue happened. _

A lone tear falls onto the page, slightly smudging the words before the writer continued.

_Everything seemed to move in slow motion. A gunshot ripped through the air and shortly after a rapidly growing bloodstain appeared on Stefan's chest before he looked at his brother and fell to the ground dead. A second shot rang out, hitting Damon in the heart. I screamed his name repeatedly as he staggered backward and as I ran forward only to be grabbed and held back by one of the Lockwood's. My eyes connected with Damon's momentarily, seeing the silent apology in them before he collapsed. Both of the Salvatore brother's dead mere yards away from me; it felt like I had nothing left to live for. George Lockwood, who was holding me back, swiftly brought me home before returning to the task at hand. I told my Aunt, who I had been staying with that I was leaving immediately and proceeded to pack everything I had there._

_Once packed, I waited outside for my carriage but I would never get in it. I was grabbed from behind forcefully and suffocated by my captor shoving a bloody wrist in my mouth. Not being able to breathe due to the panic that had set in, I was forced to swallow the blood that filled my mouth. A masculine voice whispered in my ear "I'm sorry sweet Lily," and grabbed both sides of my head, swiftly snapping my neck. I awoke several hours later, lying on the ground feeling confused. A glint of metal in the sun caught my eye. Poised on my right pointer finger was a beautiful ring; an oval lapis lazuli stone was nestled between two pearls all seated on a delicate silver band. Recalling what Damon had told me about Katherine, lapis lazuli was the stone vampires wore to walk in the sun. I didn't know what to do; I was essentially alone. My best friend and his brother were dead, the town had fallen in to chaos, and I had been turned into a vampire. So I did what I thought was best; I ran, as far away as I could._

_Which leads me to today, I've finally stopped running and come home. Home to Mystic Falls, VA. I bought a small house out in the woods neighboring the Salvatore boarding house. I figured being close to descendants would help me keep their memory alive. _

_Sometimes, on clear nights like this, I wonder what could have happened if Katherine had never come to Mystic Falls. Would I have actually confessed my developing feelings for Damon? Would I have been put into an arranged marriage to boost family standings? Would I have kids? Would I have stayed in Mystic Falls forever? Would I be happy? All these questions remain unanswered except for the last one. I'm happy with how things have turned out despite how lonely it is. The world is filled with music and art, true beauty and I get to spend all eternity immersed in it. I wish Damon could see how everything has changed, how I've changed. I hope that if he can see me from the beyond that I've made him proud. I hope I've made both my mother and father proud despite dying so young. I was given an eternity to live and I would like to be able to do anything my undead heart pleases._

_I think I've written enough about my past for one night in this new journal. In the morning, I start my senior year at Mystic Falls High. Go Timberwolves. Maybe I can join some kind of club this time or a sports team. Who knows what this new start will bring? On that note, I conclude this entry._

_Signed._

_Calla Woods_

The writer shut the journal and set it down on the tiles next to her. She unfurled from her hunched over writing position to stretch out and lie flat on the roof of her house. She had climbed out her bedroom window onto the relatively flat part of the roof to write and enjoy the starry night sky. A tearful smile graces her face as she stares out into the dark night, her dark brown hair fanned out around her head creating a dark halo. Equally dark lashes rest on pale cheeks as soft pink lips fall open in a sigh. Hauling herself into a sitting position, the girl pulls the sleeves of her large black Henley over her hands and collects her journal before gracefully climbing back into her bedroom. Unceremoniously she drops the journal on to the desk in the corner before going to stand in front of the full-length mirror that hangs from her closet.

Messy hair falls into warm whiskey colored eyes as the girl looks at herself. She's an average height with slightly above average assets. The large Henley falls to her knees, covering the shorts she was wearing. She fixes her hair a bit and puts on a smile.

"Hi, I'm Calla, I'm new." Her voice was light and melodious due to the years training as a classical singer during her time in Italy. With another smile, she opened her closet doors to reveal her vast wardrobe and a freezer that rested along the back wall. She walked down the small hallway to the chest, opening it and extracting a blood bag. Gently sipping on the thick blood, Calla strolled out of her closet to rest her forearms on her windowsill, staring out at the bright moon. The caw of a crow draws her attention to the tree nearest to her house. Perched on the branch is a crow that seems to be observing her. Shrugging it off, she shuts her window, throws out the empty blood bag, turns out her light, and lets herself slip into a dreamland.

* * *

Unbeknownst to the sleeping Calla, on the road leading into town, a man with raven hair lies on the ground. He can hear a car approaching fast, allowing a devious smirk to creep on to his face. A fog floods the area, making it harder for the car to see him.

" Watch out!" A female voice screams before the car hits the raven-haired man. He lies on the ground pretending to be injured. He can hear the couple talking in the car.

"Are you ok?"

"We just hit someone! Oh my God!"

"Call for help." The man opens his car door and steps out into the night, leaving the female to keep trying to make a call.

"Come on, come on." The man wonders close to the guy he just hit.

"Please be alive. Oh, my God!" The raven-haired man jumps up from his position on the ground and viciously tears into the man's neck, savoring the warm blood flowing down his throat. He hears the other car door open and vanishes with the body.

"There's no signal! Darren!" A large thump startles the woman, causing her to turn back to the car. Lying across the hood is the body of Darren. "Darren?" Upon closer inspection, she sees his throat had been torn out and she proceeds to scream. The woman starts running down the road towards town and away from the dead body of Darren. Hands grip her shoulders and haul her up into the air, disappearing from sight with a scream.

* * *

The scream echoes through the woods, reaching the sensitive hearing of Calla, who wakes slightly from her deep slumber. She makes a humming sound, brushing off the scream as something unimportant before falling back to sleep.


	2. Chapter 1

_I don't know what to expect today. Will I fit in? Am I actually going to make friends? Will I actually be able to fully enjoy the few years I have here before I have to leave again due to my immortality? The more I worry about these thoughts, the more nervous I get to return to high school. It's been a while since I've been in school. The last time I did anything school related I was working on my sixth bachelor's degree. I guess I just prefer going to college instead of high school, much less drama. With the sun rising, I should set to get ready for school._

The soft, mellow sounds of jazz filled the room as Calla sat perched on the window seat, writing and enjoying the small breeze that flowed into the house. An empty, bloodstained mug rested next to her on the windowsill. Calla shut her journal and slipped it under the pillow behind her. Walking into her closet, she assessed her possible clothing choices before seeing a dress that caught her eye. A black and white sleeveless hounds tooth print dress stood out amongst the array of colors. Calla removed the hanger that held the dress and turned to face the selection of jackets and cardigans before selecting a simple red one. Grabbing a skinny black belt, thigh high black socks and a pair of black glitter oxfords, Calla lays her outfit on her bed and proceeds into her bathroom. Her image reflected in the mirror is the epitome of classic beauty. Dark chocolate color hair, curled to perfection, framing a simply made up porcelain face. Applying just a touch of mascara, Calla went to get dressed. Once clothed, Calla grabbed her empty mug and brought it down to her kitchen to be washed out. Taking a quick look at the clock, she realized she would need to leave now to be able to get her schedule from the main office. She left her house and got into the vintage blue Mustang that was parked out front, driving off for her first day at Mystic Falls High.

Pulling into a parking space close to the building, Calla arrived with just enough time to get to the front office. It seems as though the secretary had been waiting for her to arrive.

"I'm sorry but your records seem to be incomplete. We have everything but your immunization records and we insist on having transcripts." Calla tucked a piece of hair behind her ear before staring directly into the secretary's eyes. Her pupils dilated, making it seem like she was staring into the woman's very soul.

"Please look again ma'am, I'm certain everything is there." The secretary's eyes glazed over in a daze behind she stared at the papers.

"Oh, you're right. We do have everything, sorry about that Ms. Woods."

"It's no trouble at all." Calla was handed her schedule and went on her way. As she left the office, a boy with bronze hair accidentally bumped into her shoulder. Calla let out a quick "excuse me" as she swiftly went in search of her first class. The boy took her place in front of the desk. His sunglasses hid his eyes from the secretary. He ran into the same problems as Calla did when it came to paperwork. The woman had a dazed look in her face as she shuffled through the folder and realized she had all of his papers. She shook her head, ridding herself of the feeling of déjà vu.

* * *

Calla's first day at school went smoothly, due to the fact that she kept to herself for most of it. She was, however, approached by a bubbly blonde Calla hadn't seen in any of her classes.

"Hi, you're Calla Woods right? Of course you are, you and the new guy are the talk of the school right now. I'm Caroline Forbes, junior, captain of the cheerleading squad, and your official welcome to Mystic High committee!" Her smile was bright and infectious, causing Calla to smile warmly at the greeting. "I just wanted to put a face to the name and invite you to the bonfire party tomorrow night. It's over in the woods near the Falls, if you don't know how to get there, here's my number and you can call for directions. Us beautiful girls have got to stick together. I am also completely in love with your outfit. Very classy and professional but absolutely adorable." Caroline quickly jotted down her phone number on a post-it note she seemed to have pulled from out of nowhere and handed it over to a flustered Calla.

"Oh wow, thank you. This is all very kind of you but you don't need to take pity on me because I'm new. It's all right." One would think that Calla's words were harsh but her warm and melodious tone proved otherwise.

Caroline just laughed at the brunette's words.

"Oh Calla, you seem very sweet. You will fit in with my group of friends easily. Why don't you come meet them tonight? We are hanging out at the Mystic Grill after school, you just have to come!" Caroline grabbed on to Calla's hand, begging her to join them. She smiled sweetly at the blonde, thoroughly amused by her infectious positivity and energy.

"I guess I can stop by for an hour or two. But I really need to go home for awhile, I have some things to do."

"Stop by whenever, we'll be there awhile." Caroline shot Calla another smile before walking off down the hallway. Calla shook her head, laughing at the blonde's antics before leaving school for the day.

* * *

Calla had arrived home and proceeded to delay her appearance at the Grill as long as possible. It wasn't that she didn't want to go; it was due to the fact that even if she made friends with Caroline and her friends, she would be leaving in a few years because they would notice that she was not aging like them. She wasted time by playing popular tunes of the time period on the piano; the beautiful sounds of her singing voice floated out the open windows of the parlor. After wasting over an hour immersing herself in her music, Calla decided that it was time to bite the bullet and go to the Grill.

The Grill was your typical restaurant where your usual high school crowd gathered after school to spend time with friends before going home. Calla cautiously stepped through the door, peering around at all the unfamiliar faces for a flash of bright blonde hair. The longer she stood there, the more tempted she was to just go to the bar and drink a glass of bourbon instead. As she started to make her way to the bar, a feminine voice shouted her name, alerting Calla of Caroline's presence. The blonde walked quickly up to her and proceeded to hug her tightly, glad she had decided to show up. Standing slightly behind the blonde was another girl with beautiful black hair and caramel colored skin.

"Oh you came! Calla, this is my friend Bonnie Bennett, I have no idea where Elena is but you can meet her later. Bonnie, this is Calla Woods, she's new." Calla gave Bonnie a little wave in greeting. "Let me get you a drink and then I want to hear all about you!" Caroline swiftly walked towards the bar to order Calla a drink. Both Calla and Bonnie chuckled at the actions of the blonde.

"After you Ms. Bennett, I will follow your lead." Calla flourished her arm on the path Caroline just took, indicating for Bonnie to walk ahead of her. "To be honest, Caroline is a lovely girl but very intense." Bonnie laughed at the accurate description of the bubbly blonde.

"You'll get used to it, don't worry." Bonnie grabbed a hold of Calla's arm and dragged her towards Caroline, laughing the whole time.

Finding an empty table to sit at, Caroline began her in depth questioning of Calla.

"So, where are you from?" Caroline kept her gaze trained on the polite brunette as she quietly sipped her drink.

"My family is actually from Mystic Falls, I was born here and now just recently moved back."

"With your parents?"

"Actually, no. It's just me left."

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Bonnie's eyes were filled with sympathy. "Do you mind me asking what happened?" Calla gave the dark haired girl a small smile, indicating that she didn't mind talking about them.

"Well my father died when I was little due to illness and my mom just died of old age. I decided to move back to revisit my roots and finish high school. Before my mom died, she decided that we would travel and see the world since my father couldn't."

"Ok, moving on from sad topics. You have any hidden talents or whatnot?" Caroline leaned forward eager to hear her response. She had been hoping that she had some things in common with the pretty new girl so she could gain her friendship.

"Let me think. I'm pretty good at singing and the piano. Oh, and I've been classically trained in ballet. I think that's really it, honestly." Caroline's eyes sparkled at her mention of dance.

"You're a dancer! If we get an empty spot on the cheerleading squad, I may try and recruit you." She smirked as she played with the straw in her drink. "And I think I may need a demonstration of the singing. I'm sure the manager here would love to have someone perform a live song or two." Caroline's flashed mischievously at the idea of showing off the new girl, claimed her as a member of her group.

"Look, there he is now, go ask." With a slight shove, Calla was walking in the direction of the manager of the Mystic Grill. She politely stood in front of him waiting to gain his attention.

"Yes, can I help you, young lady?" Katrina stared into his eyes, pupils dilating as she spoke.

"You will let me sing a song on stage right now and not complain about it."

"I will let you sing and not complain." The manager spoke in a slow, hypnotic tone agreeing to Calla's request. He shook his head still looking at the young lady. "Oh, yes you were singing tonight, go right ahead everything is on stage. I'll pause the radio for you."

Calla walked onto stage, setting up the piano and microphone for her little performance. Deeming herself ready, she sat down at the piano bench, tapping on the microphone to gain everyone's attention.

"Hi everyone. I hope you are all having a lovely evening. My new friends wanted me to demonstrate something I'm good at so this is for you ladies." She gave Caroline and Bonnie a dazzling smile before beginning to play a familiar melody on the piano

_Head under water_

_And they tell me to breathe easy for a while_

_The breathing gets harder, even I know that_

_Made room for me but it's too soon to see_

_If I'm happy in your hands_

_I'm unusually hard to hold on to_

Everyone at the Grill was smiling at the performance. Caroline and Bonnie had both moved closer to the stage to support Calla and dance to the music.

_Blank stares at blank pages_

_No easy way to say this_

_You mean well, but you make this hard on me_

Calla slowly lost herself in the music, closing her eyes, as she wildly played piano.

_I'm not gonna write you a love song_

_'cause you ask for it_

_'cause you need one, you see_

_I'm not gonna write you a love song_

_'cause you tell me it's make or break in this_

_If you're on your way_

_I'm not gonna write you to stay_

_If all you have is leaving, I'ma need a better reason to write you_

_A love song, today_

Calla continued on with her performance, charming the audience with her voice. Once finished, she got a standing ovation from all the high school students with Caroline and Bonnie yelling the loudest. She smiled and curtsied, thanking the audience for their time before going back to her new friends.

"Have I satisfied your curiosity Caroline?" Calla wore a small smile as she stood with her hands clasped behind her back. The blonde girl squealed and launched herself at Calla.

"Oh my god, that was amazing! You are totally my new friend." Caroline squeezed Calla in a tight hug as she spoke. The brunette let out a light laugh as she returned the hug.

"Well, this has been a fun night but there are some things I'd like to go finish at home before it gets to late. Caroline," she addressed the blonde before turning to the dark-haired girl. "Bonnie, it had been absolutely lovely to meet you and hang out. I'd love to do it again. Possibly at the party tomorrow night?" Both girls smiled and nodded happily in agreement. Calla smiled warmly at the girls and made her way out of the Grill.

Unbeknownst to Calla, a man with raven hair sat at the bar, his back constantly to the girl while she had been there, and swirled his glass of bourbon with a small smile on his face. He had forgotten how lovely Calla had sounded when she sang. The man finished the rest of his drink and left the Grill in hopes of finding a bite to eat.

* * *

The following night, Calla wandered through the woods, following the smell of smoke and alcohol and the sounds of chatter. She had decided the show up late, in favor of feeding before she was put in a situation around all of these children. Calla did not recognize any one until a girl desperately trying to make her way out of the crowd bumped into her.

"Oh gosh, I'm sorry. Wait, Bonnie? What's wrong?" Calla grabbed the girl by the shoulders to stop her. Bonnie looked terrified due to what she had seen when she touched Elena.

"Calla, Hi. I'm fine just on my way to get a refill." Bonnie gave the girl a smile to get her to stop worrying.

"Well then I will accompany you, I need a drink as well." She smiled at Bonnie and held out her arm as if she was a gentleman escort. Bonnie laughed at the girl's antics before linking arms with her and leading them to one of the numerous beer coolers scattered around.

Calla and Bonnie had been standing around, chatting and enjoying each others company before cries for help ripped through the air. Calla was not tall enough to see what or who it was but she could hear two males and a female voice very clearly.

"Somebody help!"

"Vicki? Vicki, what the hell?"

"What happened to her?"

"Somebody call an ambulance!"

"Everybody back up, give her some space!"

"It's her neck. Something bit her. She's losing a lot of blood." Calla froze when she heard what had happened. She began to back up through the crowd looking for an exit. Little did she know, she wasn't the only leaving due to the attack.

* * *

Once Calla was clear of the party, she began to run at full speed back to her house. Finally outside her house, she slowed her pace and trudged up her front steps towards the porch swing. Dropping swiftly into the seat, Calla calmed her breathing before quickly running upstairs to change. She put her hair into a sloppy fishtail braid before putting on a plain white v-neck shirt, a pair of black running shorts, and some black TOMS in case she needed to go anywhere. Grabbing her journal, Calla returned to the porch swing to write down her thoughts.

_I fear that things are making a turn for the worst since I have moved here. I have greatly enjoyed everything that has happened so far but after the events tonight, is it smart to stay in a town where my kind has been eradicated before? Only one creature can cause the types of injuries inflicted on the girl tonight._

_Other vampires have returned to Mystic Falls. I am no longer alone and that means my chances of being found out are higher then before. Is it just one or maybe many more vampires lurking in the dark of this small town?_

_For now I will remain, playing the role of innocent new girl, and will look into who could possible have arrived in town._

The sounds of glass crashing and male voices yelling reached Calla's ears as she sat out on her porch, attempting to write more. The noises came from where the Salvatore boarding house was located so she dropped her blanket and ran as fast as she could without being seen.

Emerging from the woods, Calla slowed to a human running pace and kept running towards the driveway where two figures were on the ground. Focused more on her steps, she did not pay attention to their voices until she got closer. The male with raven hair was already walking back towards the house when she called out.

"Hey, excuse me, I'm sorry to bother you both but I was in the woods and heard fighting and glass crashing. I was in the woods close by and ran to see if everything was ok. Are you both all right?"

The man with the raven-colored hair and the boy with the bronze styled hair both froze at the sound of her voice. It was so familiar, it was as if they had heard her speak just yesterday but the last time they had heard that light voice was men both had known she was alive, cursed for eternity like them but neither had thought she would ever come back to Mystic Falls. To her, they were both dead.

The bronze hair boy turned around to look at her, his brow furrowed in guilt and sadness. Calla audibly gasped at the sight of Stefan Salvatore standing in front of her.

Smirking, the raven-haired man slowly turned to face Calla, who was nervous to see who was with Stefan. He kept his face angled downward in the shadows, masking his identity before he spoke quietly, knowing she would hear it.

"Glad to see you came home my little Lily flower." He raised his head to look her dead in the eye to see her reaction.

Only one man had ever called her by that nickname and he was supposed to be dead. Yet he was, standing alive in front of her, looking just as painfully handsome as he did over a century ago.

"Damon."

* * *

**Well there is the first chapter of See Me Now! The song Calla sang in this chapter is Sara Barellies' "Love Song". I hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter, let me know what you think! Until next time -Kathryn**


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